Thanks to all of you who attended the English 6-12 PD Day: Strategies, Texts, and Pedagogies! It was fabulous to celebrate our colleagues' work through the presentations. I received so many wonderful pieces of feedback from all 6-12 grade-level teachers about how you had a great day, which strategies you plan to use or have already put into use in your classrooms, and which books you added to your purchase list. I have even received some videos of you and your students engaging in some of the before, during, and after reading strategies. Love it!! You can still access the slides and electronic handouts with the links on the agenda you picked up at the PD Day. For your convenience, you also have those linked below and in the "Curriculum Resources" section.

MARCH 8TH PD DAY

• Slides
• Handout Folders

This year, NCTE was thrilled by the tremendous number of students nominated for two of our Student Writing Awards: The Achievement Awards in Writing and the Promising Young Writers contests. Each decades-old contest encourages and celebrates student writing for eighth graders (Promising Young Writers) and tenth and eleventh graders (Achievement Awards in Writing). This year, the submissions of up to ten pages were written in response to the themes “Education First” for Achievement Awards in Writing and “Revision as Life: Ourselves, Worlds, and Perceptions” for Promising Young Writers.

Because of the incredible response to each award, additional reviewers are crucial to this year’s celebration. NCTE asks you to participate in this annual occasion by volunteering to serve as a reviewer for one or both contests. If you are able to participate, please complete this short form by Sunday, March 12. Submissions and grading criteria will be provided within one business day of completing the form.

May 10, July 12, September 13, and November 8; 7-8:30pm

POETRY + SPOKEN WORD: Become empowered to express yourself through written and spoken word. Freedom a la Cart has partnered with the Black Women Rise Poetry Collective to bring you another Poetry + Writing Workshop. Through this workshop, we aim to empower each participant with the tools they need to express themselves, both in written and spoken format. Learn the art (& science) behind curating words of impact, acquire knowledge in how to shape your feelings into a tangible script, and inspire others in the community with your words. Your words matter.

April 12, June 14, August 9, October 11; 7-8pm

FREEDOM A LA CART empowers survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation to build lives of freedom and self-sufficiency. They believe that giving a woman practical job skills and developing strong work ethic is vital for creating a pathway to freedom. So, they’ve created a safe place of restoration where survivors can heal, learn and grow as they prepare for sustainable employment and reintegrate into our community. Location: 123 E. Spring Street, Columbus, OH 43215

General Information

The District Slam will happen on April 29th at Eastmoor Academy (5-9pm). It is time to register your team!!

• SLAM INFO/REGISTRATION-Register by March 31st!

• $25 registration fee

• MS (8 poets), 4 slots: individual or group (2 to 6)

• HS (6 poets), 4 slots: individual

• HS Group poem round optional (up to 6 poets)

• Poetry Slam 2023 Flier

LET'S ENTER AND WIN StudySync’s 10th Annual Media Contest!! SEE THE LINK FOR ALL OF THE DETAILS.

Students can express their creativity, collaborate with peers, and strengthen their writing, speaking and listening, and presentation skills. Contest entries also make great stations. Give students voice and choice with station rotations that allow them to draft original StudySyncTV scripts, record podcasts or videos, draw book posters or create their own graphic novels. Search ‘contest’ in the Help Center to find contest best practices and steps to get started. All entries must include only original artwork, content, or audio. Entries are due on or before May 1st, 2023. See rules for details. Have questions about the contest or entries? Contact MySyncTV@studysync.com.

The 2023 Writing Competition is open. The deadline to submit is March 31, 2023 (11:59pm CDT)

• SEJONG WRITING COMPETITION PAGE
• Sijo Poetry Competition Specifics
• Essay Competition Specifics
• Application Page

Sijo category

The sijo is a traditional three-line Korean poetic form organized technically and thematically by line and syllable count. Using the sijo form, write one poem in English on a topic of your choice. For examples of sijo, more information, and teaching materials – including teaching guides for sijo, please visit this website.

The goal of our sijo category is to introduce students to a lesser-known style of poetry, the traditional Korean sijo. Read about how to write sijo, or see last year's winning entries.

Adult division (age 19 & older)
Pre-college division (age 18 & younger)

Sijo Category Prizes:

• Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500)
• Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300)
• Honorable mention (for both divisions listed above): Friends of Pacific Rim Awards ($50 each)

Essay category

Focusing on introducing students and young adults to Korean culture and history through literature, this essay category utilizes folk tales and contemporary literature to explore Korean culture, past and present.

Adult division (age 19-30 years): Contestants are to read Kim Jung-hyuk's short story “The Glass Shield” and write an essay in response to the provided prompt.

Snior division (grade 9th - 12th): Contestants are to read Ha Seong-nan's short story “Waxen Wings ” and write an essay in response to the provided prompt.

Junior division (grade 8th and younger): Contestants are to write an essay in response to one of two provided prompts regarding a folktale of the contestant's choice. Contestants must choose one of the stories listed on this folktales page.

Essay Category Prizes:

• Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500)
• Senior division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300)
• Junior division: First ($300), Second ($200), Third ($100)
• Honorable mention (for all divisions listed above): Friends of Pacific Rim Awards ($50 each)

Mission: The goals of the Sejong Writing Competition are to discover children and young adults talented in writing and to encourage them to learn and write about Korean and its culture. Through this writing competition we hope to increase the awareness and understanding of Korea’s cultural heritage amongst the younger generations growing up in the United States. Note: Only one entry per category per applicant is permitted.

THE LESSON PLANNING TOOL

Use this tool to examine objectives and standards in the StudySync lesson plans, and then backward plan instruction. Start Planning

• 3 TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE TEST PREP Effective Test Preparation for StudySync Classrooms: Test preparation can be a dreaded subject among teachers and students, but getting kids ready for summative assessments doesn’t have to be tiresome. These tips can help!
• Connecting Literature to Life See how educator Dennis Pierce uses StudySync in the classroom and connects literature to current events in his students' lives.
• Reading and Literacy Podcast: Dr. Catlin Tucker invites Dr. Tim Shanahan, educator, researcher, and education policy-maker focused on literacy education, to discuss literacy across all subjects, student agency, and finding balance in education.

-Here is the PAGE FOR ALL UPCOMING STUDYSYNC WEBINAR DATES.

Below are the StudySync webinar offerings for the month. If you register and cannot attend, you will be sent a recording. StudySync is the core Tier 1 Resources for Secondary English. The CORE ELA Units are used in English 6-12. Items from the StudySync Library are used in all alternative English courses (Humanities Language Arts 8, Humanities English 9 & 10, African American Literature, Major British Writers Seminar, Shakespeare's Literature, and Women's Literature) and many of the elective courses (e.g., Essay Writing 6, 7, and 8).

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

• StudySync: 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Independent Reading Program for Students Register Now

Thursday, March 16, 2023

• StudySync: 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Stretch Goals: Differentiate Instruction for Advanced and Pre-AP Students Register Now

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

• StudySync: 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Customize and Create Assessments to Fit Your Classroom Needs Register Now

Thursday, March 23, 2023

• StudySync: 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM How to Create Reports and Respond to Data in StudySync Register Now

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

• StudySync: 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Diversity and Representation in the StudySync Library Register Now

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

• StudySync: 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Vocabulary Best Practices Register Now

Thursday, March 30, 2023

• StudySync: 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Spotlight Skills: Build a Solid Foundation in Any Standard Register Now

The video above gives you an overview for Secondary English Curriculum. Use the Quick Links on the landing page of the ELA 6-12 Webpage for easy navigation to English Curriculum items (Curriculum/Instructional Resources 6-8 Quick Link; Curriculum/Instructional Resources 9-12 Quick Link). To access many curricular and district items, you must be logged into Google using your CCS credentials and not a personal account.

Curriculum Maps & Folders:

• Middle School Curriculum Google Doc
• High School Curriculum Google Doc

Adopted Curriculum Resources:

You can see all courses with core resources for English 6-12 in the items linked below:

• Course Resource Spreadsheet with Visuals and
• CCS Adopted, Supplemental, and Intervention Resources List.

The TIER 1 Instructional Resources

• StudySync: English 6-12, Alternate English courses, and some Electives
• StudySync Info Page (access, tutorials, trainings, and more)
• Bedford Texts/Launchpad: Honors and AP English
• Bedford/Launchpad Info Page (access, tutorials, trainings, and more)
• Some Elective Courses will have single resource adoptions.

• Achieve3000 (6-9) The contact person for this resource is Sonja Dill.
• Achieve3000 Info Page (access, tutorials, trainings, and more)
  
• Progress to Success (9-12) You can request copies by emailing Carla Mae Phillips.
• Core Enrichment (6-8) This course can be used for Tiers II/III Intervention.
• College/Career Ready Literacy (6-12) This course can be used for Tiers II/III Intervention.

• TeachingBooks is the where the lists of novels available for teacher use from the warehouse, the curriculum office, in StudySync, and in Course Folders, are found.
• TeachingBooks Info Page (access, tutorials, trainings, and more)

Secondary Literacy Plan

• The CCS Secondary Literacy Plan provides teaching strategies/PD (how to teach) that can be used with the texts/lessons from your adopted resources (what to teach) to address these components of the plan: Academic Language, Reading Comprehension, Writing Competency, and Classroom Discussion. It is rooted in Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement and guided by the Adolescent Simple View of Reading. The plan spans from intermediate literacy that crosses curricular areas to disciplinary literacy that reflects the demands of specific disciplines while allowing for individualized intensive interventions, as needed. Inherent in the plan is that students are reading, writing, and discussing every day in classrooms.
• CCS Secondary Literacy Plan Info Page

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JANUARY 17TH PD DAY

• Secondary English PD Page Recordings

MARCH 8TH PD DAY

• Slides
• Handout Folders

NEW TEACHERS: If you are new to teaching a secondary English course and did not attend the new teacher orientation sessions, here are some links for you to the items you may have missed.

• New Teacher Orientation Folder (Secondary English)
• Recording: Getting to Know Your Secondary English Resources
• Recording: StudySync for New Users

• English 6-12 Tiered Resources Crosswalk for I-Ready Domain Results

GET YOUR COSTUMES READY!! The Department of Communications Wants to Record Your Students Bringing Literature to Life for our CCS Channels!

Are your students rewriting and acting out scenes? Will you be acting out part of a drama with costumes? Do you have a special dress-like- a-character day for works of literature? If so, use this link https://tinyurl.com/Lit2Life to contact Christopher Croft in Communications to have your students recorded for social and broadcast media.

"DON'T GET IT RIGHT, JUST GET IT WRITTEN." - JAMES THURBER

Every other week, local teens gather to write, create, and explore ways to get their stories on paper. Whether it's a passion, or just a hobby, Thurber House invites any student in grades 9-12 to join them for an opportunity to spend time with others who also like to write. Sessions take place on select Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 pm Eastern Time. Young Writers' Studio is held at Thurber Center, 91 Jefferson Ave, and simultaneously Zoomed for virtual participants. Each session is $17, or $150 for the season (a savings of $20), and can be paid in advance by registering online. There are a limited number of scholarships available for students who would like to attend. All sessions will be hybrid—held in-person at Thurber Center and simultaneously Zoomed for virtual participants from 6:30–8:30 pm. REGISTER

Remaining Dates: March 21, April 4, April 18, May 2, May 16

Ohio Teacher of the Year nominations are open.More than an award, the Ohio Teacher of the Year program offers a way to elevate the teaching profession. The nomination period for the 2024 Ohio Teacher of the Year is open through March 31.

Celebrate Ohio’s exceptional educators. Nominate an educator in your community today! Ohio’s educators make a difference in their students’ lives every day. From classroom teachers to paraeducators, professors, bus drivers, school secretaries, custodians, and more, Ohio’s public school employees have dedicated their lives to serving our kids and making our schools great.m Join the Ohio Education Association in recognizing our Education Champions across the state. Use this Nomination Form to nominate a special educator.

THURBER HOUSE SPRING AUTHOR EVENTS

• 3/14: Jennifer Egan—The Candy House

• 3/28: David Wright Faladé—Black Cloud Rising

• 4/12: Dr. Genevieve West—You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays

• 4/25: Laurie Notaro—Excuse Me While I Disappear
• 5/3 Alexandra Petri—U.S. History: Important American Documents (I Made Up)

• 5/23: Mia Mercado—She's Nice Though
  

Register for any of these author events here.

CORWIN PD

Free Opportunities (Check out the entire FREE Corwin Spring 2023 Webinar Lineup HERE.)

UPCOMING AUTHOR EVENTS

• COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY Sesquicentennial Author Series The Columbus Metropolitan Library Carnegie Author Series has a new name for 2023, celebrating Columbus Metropolitan Library’s 150 years of bringing joy to readers. It is the Sesquicentennial Author Series. Here are some of the authors visiting in 2023: Leonard S. Marcus, Donte Woods-Spikes, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Saeed Jones, and Jason Mott. Check out the lineup HERE.

SOMETHING NEW THIS SUMMER: COLUMBUS BOOK FESTIVAL

The Columbus Book Festival will happen July 15-16 in the heart of the city’s downtown Discovery District. The two-day event featuring national and local authors, exhibitors, entertainment and more will showcase Columbus Metropolitan Library’s historic Main Library, the adjacent Kaufman Plaza and Topiary Garden Park. Call for authors, exhibitors and entertainers is now open! Get Involved/Learn More; About the Event Here.

GIVEAWAYS

• TeachingBooks February Contests & Giveaways
• Bulk Bookstore Discounts & Contests (People really do win: I won a $150 shopping spree from the November drawing:)
• We Are Teachers Contests & Giveaways